How to Start a Fashion Blog

So, you are ready to dive in and start your very own fashion blog – the question is how do you get started? What is step 1, step 2 and beyond? Do you choose a free platform or go with your own hosting and domain name? There are a lot of questions you have when first starting out so I am here to help you save time and avoid the headache or doing all of the research yourself.

This post will primarily focus on the basics of how to start a fashion blog so that you can launch your site and begin posting quickly. After all, getting started is the most important thing as you can always make minor changes in terms of graphics, blog theme and more after you become more familiar with what direction you want your brand and blog to take.

For me starting a fashion blog has been one of the best creative decisions of my life in that I have an outlet to express myself, work with brands and be part of an incredible online fashion community that is growing everyday. Being able to help others learn more about fashion whether it be on topics like “The Look for Less” or “Celebrity Inspired” fashion or simply on my personal style it’s truly something I have a grand passion for.

Sometimes getting started is the hardest thing and can seem daunting. Don’t worry, I will show you just how easy it is below to buy your domain, find hosting and get your blog up and running all in the same day! And if you get stuck or have questions, you can email me at hipgirlie{at}gmail.com and I will gladly help you out. I am here to help you succeed and start on your journey!

Step #1: Name Your Blog

This means you want to register/buy your domain name. If you haven’t given it thought yet or have yet to decide from a list of ideas you must now come to a decision on your blog’s name. Down the road this will be very important as this will be your “brand” and so the easier it is to spell and remember for others will benefit you and your brand in the future. Try to get a .com if you can by the way as they are still recognized as the best top level domain even in 2013.

I would recommend GoDaddy as they are one of the most trusted names in the industry and are very easy to use. Make sure to use their search function so you find out if the name you are looking for is not taken already (sorry girls, sometimes that perfect name you had in mind has already been taken!) and if not you can proceed with scooping it up.

The cost is minimal being around $10 to $15 a year (depending upon type of domain and extra options) but honestly it beats the alternative of having let’s say a free blog on Blogger or Tumblr where you have less control over options and customization.

Enter the name you want to register (keep fingers crossed it’s available!)

Follow the directions on each screen to continue and then finalize your domain registration.

Save some extra scratch by searching for “GoDaddy coupon” on Google before checking out.

Step #2: Setup Hosting

I promise you, this is nowhere near as hard as you are probably thinking it will be. Really. Just like many other things you do online right now the process of buying and setting up hosting for your fashion blog has been streamlined and become very simple. The best part is it will only cost you between $7 to $10 a month to host your style blog which is around the price of about 2 fulfilling trips to Starbucks so you cannot beat that to launch your fashion dream site.

Visit Bluehost to signup for the best hosting your startup money can buy.

Click on Sign Up Now and then you will be taken to the next page

Put in your domain/blog name into the box as shown below.

Choose your hosting plan, the price goes down as you can see the longer term you purchase upfront.

Click on the BIG blue “Next” button at the bottom of the screen once you entered all of your information in.

You will receive an email confirmation from Bluehost with how to proceed.

Step #3: Install WordPress on Bluehost

Again, this sounds crazy hard for beginners but I can assure you that with Bluehost it’s super easy. After you login to your account (email should have sent you info for user and password) you can follow the instructions below.

Click on the “Simple Scripts” icon under the section Software/Services which is a little more than halfway down the page depending on your screen size.

Next, click on the “WordPress” icon under the Blogs section.

Proceed with the install, no need to fill in the box on the right.

Choose advanced options if needed (most likely not) and then check off the box under “Legal Information” to agree with the terms. Finally, simply click the complete button at the bottom and WordPress has now been installed for your new blog.

Step #4: Choose a Theme/Style

There are some fantastic WordPress themes out there that are very user friendly and easily customizable. If you are looking for something that is very reliable and has a ton of support for their users, not to mention some of the best designs I’ve ever seen…. I would recommend Thesis by DIY Themes.

Visit DIY Themes, browse around a bit, I would highly recommend taking a look at some of the showcase sites featured using Thesis and see just how amazing this theme can be once fully customized and designed out.

Or, if you have to start off your new fashion endeavor with a free theme, simply login to your new WordPress control panel by visiting “Yourdomain.com/wp-admin” and login. You will need to choose a user and password during the initial setup.

Now, you can visit http://www.yourdomain.com/wp-admin/themes.php & then click on “Install Themes” to see the thousands of free WordPress themes available for use at WordPress.org. You can install any one of these within your control panel without having to leave your own site.

That’s it girls. Of course there is much more to learn but these are the basics to get you setup quickly whether using a free wordpress theme or choosing a premium theme. Stay tuned for part 2 of this series where I will explain how to change settings and customize your blog so that you can create the layout and style you desire. Remember, I am here to help you so email me (email listed near top of the post) and I will help you get setup.

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links. I will earn a commission if you purchase using these links. All of the affiliate links mentioned are products or services that I recommend because I believe in them and think they are valuable not because I may earn a commission.

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